Rare Zonkey Born At Zoo In Mexico

A rare zonkey was born at the Reynosa Zoo in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas in Mexico. The baby zonkey was born on April 21 and his name is Khumba.

Although there are other zonkeys in the world, they are very rare. Zebras and donkeys have a different number of chromosomes. Zebras have between 32 and 46 and donkeys have 62. In spite of this difference, zonkeys can be born if the gene combination in the hybrid allows for embryonic development to birth. Zonkey chromosomes can range between 32 and 62.

The birth of the baby zonkey was celebrated by the zoo and the rest of the world who learned about it on Twitter where photos of the zonkey went viral. Everyone was gushing over the baby zonkey who seems a little shy and prefers to stay close to his mother.

It's a Zonkey!!! Don't ya just want to start thinking up names for the little guy?? How about Pippi? Or Hooker? pic.twitter.com/fKTNu3wy3p

When any other type of equine animal is mixed with a zebra, the offspring is called a zebroid. The zebroids are then categorized by the type of animals they are crossed with. Offspring from zebras and horses are called zorses, offspring from zebras and ponies are called zonies and offspring from zebras and donkeys are called zonkeys.

Like other hybrid animals, zonkeys cannot reproduce. Most zonkeys will look like both parents and will have stripes on part but not all of their body. Baby Khumba has stripes on his legs and could develop more when he grows older. Most zebroids will have stripes on their legs, hind quarters and neck.

Although zonkeys are rare, Khumba is not the only one alive. In 2005, a zonkey named Alex was born in Barbados. Another zonkey named Ippo was born in Italy in 2013.

We took our Grandson several years ago to a small zoo in North Georgia, USA and saw one….I believe they called it a Zdonk. This is not the first but maybe it should be the last. My Grandson asked then what would it be when it grew up. He said he thought it would be confused! Out of the mouth of Babes…….It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature ya know!!!

Rick Carsten

Now we understand Michelle Obama’s family tree.

mastema

what about a wonkey?

Robert Morey

A zoo keeper told me that the male zebra nudged the horse towards the area where his female zebra was, and then watched the whole thing.

Robert Morey

Hey, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t lead a horticulture.